What leadership traits will be needed 10, 20, 50 years from now? Recently I was part of an audience of business and community leaders, faculty, students, and others who attended the first event in the Frederik Meijer Lecture Series at Grand Valley State University’s Eberhard Center. Distinguished author, thinker, and businesswoman Dr. Jill Ker Conway. The first female president of Smith College, Dr. Conway serves on numerous corporate boards and took as her topic “The Next 50 Years in the World.” Frankly, anyone willing to tackle that topic deserves my attention.
While Dr. Conway’s talk, and the subsequent Q & A addressed wide-ranging global issues, I found her answer to the following question the most interesting:
Q. – What kind of leadership traits will be needed in the future?
A. – Effective leaders will need the following three attributes:
1. The ability to deal with, communicate with, and work with opposition without demeaning them.
2. Confidence in their own ideas but open to the ideas of others.
3. The ability to find and attract good, bright people and to then nurture them.
The 1st trait would certainly come in handy today, when elected “leaders” tend to demonize each other. When the relations between tribes, countries, even regions become excessively polarized, there is no search for common ground, compromise, or a way through our disagreements to a solution that works for all of us.
There is certainly no shortage of confidence in our own ideas, but far too often it seems we are, in the words of Ambrose Bierce, “never in doubt, but often in error”. Win-Lose thinking, I’d say.
The 3rd trait is essential if a manager and their organization are to successfully grow and develop. We may be able to find and attract excellent candidates when a job becomes available, but if we fail to help them increase their capacity and capability to contribute the talented employee will either go elsewhere or settle into mediocrity.
What do you think?
The 8 Essential Skills 